FREELANCE JOURNALIST

WINTER MEETINGS: GIANCARLO STANTON

The New York Yankees made the biggest splash of the offseason, acquiring Giancarlo Stanton from the Miami Marlins. The newest Yankee appeared in Orlando, Florida at the 2017 Winter Meetings to face the media for the first time since the deal was finalized.

Q. You’re a little surprised that this actually came to fruition?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Yeah, actually. You never know how something like this is going to turn out. I’ve never gone through it before, but I’m happy it worked out in the way I wanted.

Q. Can you talk about why Yankees, why Dodgers, why Astros, why Cubs?

GIANCARLO STANTON: They’re winners. They’re young and they’re in a good position to win for a long time, and I lost for a long time. So I want to change that dynamic and be a winner.

Q. Did you just feel that San Francisco and St. Louis were just not there yet compared to the other teams?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I would say that, just I felt like I was, I would have been putting it over the hump rather than jumping into a team already prepared to be there. So I want to put any team over the top, obviously, but they already got one game away from going to the World Series. So I feel like I can come in and help.

Q. Were the Red Sox ever a consideration for you? And if not, what didn’t appeal to you about Boston?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I didn’t really have a thought on it.

Q. The fact you grew up in L.A. would make it hard for you to put on a San Francisco uniform, was that a part of it at all, that whole rivalry thing?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I would say a little bit. I wouldn’t base a decision off that, but also I wouldn’t want to go to a team that they disliked the most and wasn’t sure if they were going to beat that team either, but at the same time if they were in the right position that I wanted, I would have done it.

Q. How do you feel about DHing?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I’m fine with it. Wherever they need me I’m okay with that. I always liked DHing when we played the AL teams in previous years.

Q. Do you look at this as a three-year commitment or a 10-year commitment?

GIANCARLO STANTON: We’re in a position to win much past three years, so I believe 10.

Q. Is specifically what the Yankees did this year that made you want to come here? And if this was a year ago and Yankees hadn’t done what they had done already would you have considered this?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Even if, say, they lost the Wild Card game, they still were in the position to be there. So once you get to the playoffs, from what I’ve observed, it’s how you perform during that time. It’s not the best team throughout the season that’s going to win it. It’s who is hungry, who steps up in those times, and who catches fire at the right time. So if you’re in the position to get there, then it’s a toss-up.

Q. Derek said that he didn’t have any regrets about this process about how it all played out, is there anything that you feel like you wish you could change or could have done better?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I wanted them to ask, I thought we were in a great position lineup-wise. We just needed some pitching and I reiterated I wanted to give at least a half-season chance to see if we could put something together with some arms, but there that wasn’t the direction.

Q. You talked to Judge and Sanchez at the All-star Game a little bit. What was your takeaway after getting to know them?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Fun young guys. They’re experiencing the All-Star Game for the first time and enjoying themselves, but just the confidence and dynamic that they bring to a lineup.

Q. Do you feel it was unfair to you that those deals with the Giants and Cardinals were made public without you really having an interest in those teams?

GIANCARLO STANTON: A little bit. More for the fan base, if they thought it was really narrowed down to only those two, I mean you got to, you got to let someone in my situation see all my options. You can’t just jump to the first thing’s available or be expected to make a decision right away. So I would say in that light.

Q. The Marlins said to you, “If you don’t accept the trade to the Cardinals or the Giants, then you’re going to be a Marlin for the rest of your career,” when it was put that way, what made you think it was the right thing to say no?

GIANCARLO STANTON: You can’t say that and expect me to jump at what’s there, if that’s not the right situation for me. So it doesn’t matter what the dynamic was. You’re not going to force me to do anything, regardless of what the situation is.

Q. Were you concerned that they would actually call you on that?

GIANCARLO STANTON: It was definitely a thought I had to be ready to deal with, but I was. Like I said, I’m not going to be forced to do that.

Q. You obviously watched Derek when he was a player, were you disappointed the way this played out, is there any concern on your part that maybe it’s become too personal between you and him?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Personal why?

Q. In terms of him being the Marlins and not talking to you and/or is it just a —

GIANCARLO STANTON: I mean, we didn’t have a phone call, we didn’t have a text before it went down, so big deal. I mean, what’s the difference of texting, whatever. So it’s fine. It’s not me and the Marlins aren’t going to worry anymore. So all, all the negative aspects and the negative media that I’ve had to deal with, any successful thing I’ve ever done is in the past. So now I can go to something positive.

Q. When you signed the contract, originally the 13-year contract, did you imagine because of who they are and had been that this day would come eventually?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Absolutely, but that’s just me in general. I got to, I overthink and think again on all possibilities that can happen. So with the history of everything, yeah, of course, it was in my mind and I knew I had to be prepared.

Q. Is that why things like the no-trade and the opt-out are in this deal because you’re thinking that from the beginning?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Absolutely.

Was a situation after meeting with San Francisco and St. Louis that you would have reconsidered them or a team that wasn’t on your original list?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Before initially meeting with them, yeah. I think they’re a great. They’re great people and have a great history with them. So even if they weren’t ready this year, like I would have liked, I knew that they would be within an a few years.

Q. To clarify that, you mean after the meetings you knew that you weren’t going to consider them or you wanted to take time?

GIANCARLO STANTON: No, they’re historic franchises, so I knew that they would figure out how have a great product on the field within a few years, but I wanted to be ready this year.

Q. You mentioned after you won MVP, that all teams have money and if the Marlins want that pitching as you had hoped, that they could have?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I think so. You could say I’m wrong or I’m not, but that’s my view of it and I would imagine you would give it a try if you are just opening up a team, but I’m not up there.

Q. When were you alerted that and how that there was a deal in principle … and what transpired afterwards between that and when you gave your thumbs up, yes, everything’s good enough now for me to do this?

GIANCARLO STANTON: Probably halfway through the day, I said yes, and they said, “Sleep on it to make sure you’re all right,” and I was like, “All right, I know I’m not going to need it but, sure, I’ll go to sleep.”

Q. Do you think you’re prepared for the extra pressure, the extra attention that comes with playing for the Yankees?

GIANCARLO STANTON: I think it’s going to be a fun, new dynamic but at the same time it’s baseball. So I understand there will be some ups and downs, and I’ll have to deal with that on a bigger scale, but it’s the same game I played down in Miami, just a bigger scale, brighter lights.

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